Alabama Bus Driver Buys Breakfast for 50 Students Who Couldn’t Eat Because of Storm Delay

0Shares

When one Alabama school bus driver realized that his passengers might have to skip breakfast because of a winter weather delay, he took matters into his own hands.

Wayne Price — who’s picked up elementary, middle and high school students in Montevallo, Alabama, every morning since 2013 — received a message last week informing him of a delayed opening because of an ice storm, Today reported. Price also knew that many of the children in the school district rely on the National School Lunch Program, which helps low-income families afford breakfast and lunch.

An employee from Montevallo Elementary School tells PEOPLE about 75 percent of their students are part of the program.

“One of the kids said, ‘Oh, Mr. Price, you must be rich,’ ” he recalled to the outlet. “I am not rich. I am in full-time ministry … but you sit there and think about it, you take your family out to dinner, and you can drop $50 going out to dinner, and it was nothing more than taking my family out to dinner. When it came down to the financial side, it was just second nature. I really did not think about it. I thought, hey this would be neat. I bet they will like this.”

He added to Today, laughing: “When the kids got on I said, ‘So, what do ya want? Sausage? McMuffin?’ … I got some sweet kids and I get really attached to them … They were really appreciative. I dunno. I just love my kids. I got lots of fist pumps, lots of high-fives, lots of ‘Love you Mr. Price,’ lots of ‘Thank you Mr. Price.’”

One of his students, a fifth grader named Elizabeth Lopez, was shocked by the gesture, she told ABC 33.

“I did not think he was going to do it. I am really thankful for having him as a bus driver, and he feels like a dad to me,” she said.

The Montevallo Elementary employee tells PEOPLE that Price didn’t think his actions were newsworthy — “He didn’t expect it to be anything but just between him and the kids,” she explains — in part because the town itself is a very giving place.

“Never has it failed people in the community to come together and provide people what they needed,” she adds. “We’re very blessed here in Montevallo.”